Born in 1928 in Detroit, jazz singer Sheila Jordan grew up in Summerhill, Pennsylvania. Restless and wanting to go back to her roots, she returned to the motor city in the early 1940s. Once there, she found her footing as a singer and performed in the trio Skeeter, Mitch, and Jean (she was “Jean”—her middle name is Jeanette), circuiting the jazz clubs of the era.

In 1951, the singer moved to New York City, where she studied music theory under Lennie Tristano and Charles Mingus, some of the greatest jazz composers of the day. By the early 1960s, she was a regular at places like the Page Three Club in Greenwich Village, and had made it enough to earn a living out of jazz music. In 1962, her debut album Portrait of Sheila was recorded under the Blue Note label.

After that success, Jordan withdrew from the music scene to take care of her daughter. For years, she worked as a legal secretary, putting the artist in her by the wayside. In 1975, she revived her career with the release of Confirmation, only her second studio album. Since then, she has released twenty solo albums, some of them live recordings of club performances. Known for her talent with lyrics, she has remained a staple in the jazz scene. Commentator Scott Yanow has hailed her, “one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers.”

Most recently, she has been performing. For the latter half of March, she had a tour of Germany. A couple weeks later, she was doing gigs in New York City. After giving herself a second to breathe, she now finds herself at the Millersville campus.

To top off her residency, she is headlining a concert on Wednesday night. At 7:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Student Memorial Center, “Sheila Jordan and Friends,” a musical collaboration between Jordan and the Millersville Jazz Band will begin.

It will be an exciting musical event; along with her countless experience in jazz music, Jordan is especially known for her skills with lyrical and vocal improvisation, always a valuable skill in the unpredictability of jazz rhythms. For someone with her level of expertise, students should expect quite a show.

Tickets are free for Millersville students, $5 for seniors, $10 general admission, and $20 for club seats.

Related posts:

1. Festival of Music: The Jazz single Reed Symposium Amid the hustle and bustle of students going in and...
2. Thursday night concert keeps the music rolling Performing last Thursday night in Millersville’s Club de Ville were...

The Millersville University Jazz Ensemble was directed by Dr. Keith Wiley, a trumpet player who also directs the concert band and teaches in the music department.

The group was been working on a wide variety of selections since January, and has been working on the pieces played for “Jazz and Java” for about two months. Despite having limited time to practice, the band had little trouble coming together and getting performance-ready.

“The students are self-motivated. They played very well, and the audience response was positive. It was well received, which is really the best gauge you have as a performer.” Wiley said.

With such a great catalog of music, it was easy for the audience to appreciate it. The band performed familiar classics like “Come Fly With Me” featuring soloist Theresa Walker, as well as selections off the beaten path like “Snakes,” carried out with dexterity by the entire ensemble.

In addition to the skillfulness of the band, the show featured soloist Chris Vidala, literally a professor of the saxophone and director of jazz studies at the University of Maryland. A long-time friend of Dr. Wiley, he was a guest at Millersville twice before.

“He’s inspiring,” Wiley said, “Every time I hear him, it’s even better.”

His solo in “A Night in Tunisia” was sharp and crisp. The sustained scream of one note was especially remarkable. Although he improvised most of his performance, he was never out of step with the band. Not one to showboat, he accompanied the ensemble without ever overwhelming them, adding flavor and panache to the songs. He used both the soprano and alto sax, switching between smooth trills and high-pitched screams seemingly without effort. In one number, Vidala did an acoustic solo with a toned-down, almost purer sound.

Senior Christine Arnold, a six-year euphonium (tenor tuba) player and three-year trombone player, was excited for the opportunity to play with such a dynamic musician. “I think that his performance really showed his virtuosity as a saxophonist and really showed a lot of passion for what he does,” Arnold said, “He was very energetic while he performed, which I had noticed both the band members and audience members really seemed to pick up on. It really was an honor and privilege to perform with such a great musician.”

Vidala’s his love and passion for music are more than evident while watching him perform.

“I always enjoy [coming to Millersville],” Vidala said, “The band is always well prepared–that’s probably to be attributed to Dr. Wiley; he’s good at what he does, he enjoys getting people comfortable with the material.”

Despite only having one practice together before the performance, Vidala worked seamlessly with the band.

“That’s the mark of a good group; they put things in place, and come together easily. As far as the music is concerned, they had it all together,” Arnold said.

Vidala, who has worked with the Chuck Mangione quartet, is working on the soundtrack for the film “Children of Sanchez,” and sees performing as the height of musical experience.

“The interaction with live performances, with different ensembles of different levels…there’s no replacement for that,” Vidala said. “There’s a special connection, it’s all of the moment.”

Members of the ensemble made individual contributions that both supplemented and enhanced the overall performance. In their rendition of “Angel Eyes,” the band kept up the relatively slow tempo while keeping the song spirited and lively. “Self Help,” a very busy song in terms of harmony, flowed well, without a single mistake despite frequent rhythm variation.

“Big Dipper,” one of the last numbers of the evening, included a solid intro from the saxophone section, and also featured a notable trumpet solo. The song was a good end piece, displaying the blues influence in the jazz sound.

Overall, it was a successful night. The coffee was tasty and the food was scrumptious, but, more importantly, the ensemble came together to present cogent interpretations of jazz music, both individually and as a group.

Related posts:

1. Festival of Music: The Jazz single Reed Symposium Amid the hustle and bustle of students going in and...
2. Double concert: The warm vibes of spring Last Thursday, the Universities Activity Board UAB sponsored a free...

The band, featuring actress turned singer Zooey Deschanel, perhaps best known for her role in “500 Days of Summer,” and producer, singer, and guitarist Matthew Ward (better known by his stage name, M. Ward), formed in early 2007 after the pair met on the set of “The Go-Getter,” in which Deschanel had a starring role. After being asked to perform a duet for the end credits, the two found they shared musical interests and inspirations. On a whim, Deschanel sent Ward years of demos she had recorded, and the two began a musical collaboration.

In March 2007, the actress made the trip to Ward’s Portland, Oregon recording studio and made the transition to singer. After three recording sessions and months of mixing, their debut album, “Volume One,” was released March 2008 to rave reviews from critics and fans.

While the band name implies a duet, most of the songs are performed by Deschanel alone, with Ward chiming in occasionally in the background. Most of his work for the band is done in the studio; he produces, she writes and performs.

“Volume Two,” the band’s second project together, takes them further down the same path. Released March 23, the album is a 13 track homage to relationships, mostly the sweet, lovey-dovey stage before things get more serious.

While it is respectable that Deschanel writes her own songs, it seems she is still finding her footing as a songwriter. Her lyrics are largely simplistic and at times cheesy and clichéd. With choruses like “well it’s alright, it’s ok” and verses like “I like to learn things slow, I like learning a lot,” it’s left up to the vocals and instrumentals to compensate.

Most of the time, they do. In “Thieves,” the opening track, Deschanel dominates the song with her pretty, echoey soprano swathed in a 50s slow-dance feel. Ward injects a hint of country to the arrangement, just enough to make the song a little different. Other tracks have a prominently 50s feel; “Ridin’ in My Car,” has a distinct Ronettes “Be My Baby” feel, though the sense of desperation has been severely toned down. “Over It Over Again,” a song about an inescapable yet unhealthy relationship, has the same type of sound, but still fails to reach the emotional level of its inspiration. It’s all the love without the urgency.

This could be due to the band’s other big influence, 70s AM radio tunes from the Beach Boys and others. The laid back California sensibility is plain on the album, and it makes for great cruising music. “Lingering Still,” which is basically three minutes of not saying much backed by a catchy tune, would be perfect for driving to the beach. “Don’t Look Back” has the same sensibility, though it does seem to try a little harder.

All of the tracks are about love, but some are definitely more sugary than others. In “Home,” as Deschanel sings “it doesn’t get better than home, now, does it,” one gets the impression of a happy couple skipping through a park hand-in-hand, probably in the first half of a romantic comedy. “I’m Gonna Make It Better,” with sweet little hiccups in Deschanel’s delivery, toes the line of being too cutesy to tolerate.

A couple tracks on the release do manage to break out from the typical She & Him formula. “Sing,” while it still has that 50s impression, is a little more relaxed; it’s not jumping all over the place to get your attention. It’s also a great example of the more classic quality in Deschanel’s voice, not always apparent in other tracks when she’s so busy making it sound charming she forgets the grace she is capable of.

“If You Can’t Sleep,” the most distinctive of the tracks, utilizes the singer’s beautiful tonal quality, sung over a humming chorus, to create an ethereal lullaby. In terms of arrangement, this is a perfect ending track.

This is not groundbreaking music, but it has its appeal. Deschanel’s voice, while not perfect, is warm and satisfying. Ward’s production and instrumentation do well to complement the vocals. The band, while not exactly a musical duo, collaborate together to create very pleasing music.

Related posts:

1. Thursday night concert keeps the music rolling Performing last Thursday night in Millersville’s Club de Ville were...

No related posts.

“You’re going to go home tomorrow and make more money than you’ve ever made in your life, and I’m going to go home without a paycheck.”

“Up in the Air,” based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Walter Kirn, does an ample job of exploring the depth, and subsequent void, created by the corporate world in the human psyche.

The film, released in December 2009 and directed by Jason Reitman, opens with various members of the “newly unemployed” venting to Bingham, a messenger-of-occupational-doom-for-hire played by George Clooney, pronouncing their anger, fear, and utter devastation at the sudden loss of their financial security amidst such hard economic times.

Not that Bingham has a particularly hard time with that.

In between ending the careers of a seemingly endless pool of unfortunate souls, he lives a life devoid of almost any meaning other than to reach the coveted ten million mile mark, a feat only achieved by six others. As he puts it, “more men have walked on the moon.”

He has a systemized way of living. Keep possessions and sentimentalities to a minimum, and always travel light. To him, relationships and emotional connections are just unnecessary baggage in a world that demands efficiency. Everything is precisely calculated to speed up the life process; he has his packing routine down pat, he makes sure to always get behind Asians at the airport security line (“I’m like my mother, I stereotype. It’s faster.”), and he never, under any circumstances, gets into anything emotionally complicated.

In one of his occasional motivational speaking gigs, he sizes up the totality of his personal philosophy: “The slower we move the faster we die. We are not swans, we’re sharks…let everything burn and imagine waking up tomorrow with nothing. It’s kind of exhilarating, isn’t it?”

Of course, Bingham does not stay this way forever. His disillusionment with his business begins with a new arrival at the office.

Upon his return from his trip, he finds his company “revolutionized” by Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), an up-and-coming Cornell graduate seeking to make her mark early by streamlining the company’s firing methods. In an effort to streamline spending and increase numbers, she developed a fire-by-ichat method, keeping the process simple, quick, and almost entirely impersonal.

Bingham’s objections are his first real hints at humanity.

“What we do here is brutal and it does leave people devastated, but there is s a dignity to the way I do it,” he said.

Keener’s new idea is just the beginning in a string of startlingly realistic examples of how the world has grown increasingly impersonal. When Bingham is forced to show her the ropes of the downsizing business and take her with him, her longtime boyfriend breaks up with her over a text message. As the trip continues, the stresses of coping with such a lifestyle take their toll. In one scene, she sits alone looking absolutely desolate in a room full of empty computer chairs, ones that belonged to dozens of people she just fired only hours ago.

A sense of emptiness and unfulfillment arises throughout the film. As Bingham and Keener await one flight, they stand in front of the massive windows of the airport, looking insignificant and alone.

Things only really change for Bingham when he meets his match in Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), a status-addicted travel junkie who, just like him, lives to fly. They begin a casual relationship, yet clearly want more of one another. It is a little hard to believe Goran when she proclaims herself “the woman you don’t have to worry about.”

As the liaisons continue he allows himself to recognize his growing feelings for Goran, he begins to fill his life and make it more meaningful. He attends his younger sister’s wedding instead of blowing it off, going so far as to take Goran with him as his date. Everything seems to be turning around; he introduces a nice woman to his family, he shows her his old high school. In an incredibly ironic gesture, he talks his future brother-in-law out of having cold feet on his wedding day, saying, “Life’s better with company.” It’s around this time that Bingham truly allows himself to be human.

Unfortunately, as in life, it’s not all smooth-going once he makes a decision to better himself. In a shock similar to the emotional ruin felt by those he’s fired, he discovers that Goran is married with children. Despite the obvious connection between the two, she sees what they have as no more than a fling. As she puts it, “You’re an escape. A parenthesis.” After this blow, the accomplishment of reaching the coveted ten million mile mark is empty and worthless because he is, he sees, alone in what should be a moment of happiness and celebration.

Only one man could have made this role so appealing. While Bingham does have moments of great humanity, there are times when he, were it not for Clooney’s quiet humor and innate charm, would be otherwise unbearable as a person. The entire cast gives capable performances, especially Farmiga, who does an incredible job of being simultaneously appealing and despicable in her behavior.

Overall, this is a great and watchable film. The acting works on all levels, especially the one-on-ones with the fire-ees (cameo from Zach Galifianakis from “The Hangover”). Reitman uses simple yet effective cinematography to further Bingham’s sense of isolation and fleeting moments of togetherness, and dialogue that manages to be heartfelt without sounding cheesy.

Related posts:

1. Humanities Film Series: Mozart and the Whale Throughout the year, the Humanities Film series has been showing...

Sometimes it works out, and you end up with groups like Crosby, Stills, Nash, and (sometimes) Young; Cream; and The Traveling Wilburys (this last group tends to trigger debate, but the fact of the matter is they knew how to play to their strengths and were a great band, if you happen to dig that type of music).

Then, sometimes, things do not work out quite so well and regrettable music is made. It’s like breeding two champion racehorses and producing a donkey; it’s just plain wrong.

Luckily, Them Crooked Vultures is among the groups that can make the formula work. Them Crooked Vultures takes members from the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Led Zeppelin.

There is no special reason members Dave Grohl, drums; Josh Homme, vocals and lead guitar; and John Paul Jones, bass, keyboard, and piano got together, other than that it seemed like a cool idea. They had been ruminating over the concept since 2005 and did not rush into production, which is a decision that clearly worked in their favor. Grohl, the apparent mastermind behind the group, considered Paul McCartney as an alternate if Jones was not able to do the project.

Recording and production began July 2009 at Pink Duck Studios and Chalice Studios in California under DGC Records. On August 9, the group had its first performance at The Metro in Chicago, playing an 80-minute midnight set.

The self-titled album, released under Interscope Records on November 17, 2009, contains 13 tracks, including “New Fang,” the album’s single, which premiered October 26 and reached number 10 on the Billboard’s “alternative” chart.

Their success is even more apparent upon listening to the album. Sure, it’s no magnum opus, but it is a solid arrangement of good old-fashioned, ear-blasting rock.

“Them Crooked Vultures” begins with “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I,” a strong opener with gritty distortion that ropes you in as Homme walks up and down the neck of his guitar. The moaning wails sound a little wimpy, but are made up for midway through with a guitar riff that makes you want to throw yourself headfirst into a mosh pit.

The heavy guitar distortion is present throughout the album, continuing in “Mind Eraser, No Chaser,” a great theme song for a night out. “New Fang” is especially well composed, with a drum intro that leads seamlessly into the first note and following rhythm; the solo paired with the instrumentation about half-way through works well for the flow of the song, and the psychedelic sound of the wailing guitar at the end is just perfect. The use of effects in “Spinning in Daffodils” gives the finish an atmospheric mood.

The band takes on some heavy, stomping riffs, though it is certainly nothing they cannot handle. In “Elephants,” which integrates an element of insanity, Grohl times the symbols with Homme’s guitar to form an explosive sound.

“Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up,” arguably the album’s best track, keeps up a dirty stomp of guitar that thuds like an unruly march toward debauchery and destruction, it is what the cool bad guys you root for in a good action movie are playing in their heads as they go about their business.

The band also takes some more experimental routes with nails-on-a-chalkboard effects on “Dead End Friends” and the absolute acid trip that is “Interlude with Ludes,” an apparent homage to love on LSD.

Overall, Homme is at the helm with much of the musical emphasis on the instrumentation, especially the guitar. Consequently, the band comes off with a strong Queens of the Stone Age-type sound, but this is by no means a bad thing. Grohl works with the intensity of the guitar with rhythms that complement and emphasize Homme’s; Jones does an exemplary job of keeping the sound together with solid bass playing, to be expected of a rock legend of Led Zeppelin caliber, along with some impressive keyboard and piano playing.

The lyrics seem relatively unimportant given that Homme tends to muddle them together anyway, but you are so busy taking in everything else that it is not really an issue. The songs sometimes begin and end in the same way, but rather than detract from the songs, it gives the album a sense of completeness. For anyone who takes the time to listen, this is a prime example of when rock greats come together the right way.

It’s great noise.

No related posts.

In her 2008 film “The Black Balloon,” director Elissa Down takes on the challenge. Through subtleties in cinematography, dialogue, and acting, she skillfully manages to take what can be a cluttered mess of a situation and translates it into an emotional experience one can relate to.

In the opening of the film, the audience is introduced to Thomas Mollison (Rhys Wakefield), an average 15-year-old facing average 15-year-old issues: Life as the new kid in school, embarrassment at his inadequacies in gym class, pining for the alluring dream girl, (Gemma Ward). However, there are some other, not so average problems: Thomas’ older brother Charlie (Luke Ford) is autistic.

Autism, according to the Autism Society of America, is a “complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others.” It can be defined by a resistance to change, laughing or crying for no apparent reason, tantrums, non-response to verbal cues despite normal hearing, uneven gross or fine motor skills, and, most prevalently, a difficulty expressing needs and communicating with others.

Modern statistics indicate that autism occurs in one in one hundred births and is four times as prevalent in boys as it is in girls. Extrapolations from the U.S. Department of Education suggest that the frequency of the disease could reach up to four million Americans by the end of the decade. While autism is not curable, early diagnosis is critical and can result in a dramatically better outcome for the child.

For many, comprehending the intricacy of such a disorder and its effects, both on those with the disease and on their family members, is easier said than done. That is why films such as “The Black Balloon” are made, so that they might encourage understanding.

Dr. Thomas Neuville, professor of Special Education at Millersville, warns against seeing such a film without a strong basis of awareness.

“I would show [the film] only with a discussion,” Neuville said. “I cringed through the whole thing. There were times I wanted to turn it off. I didn’t want people to go away thinking of people with autism as a group. It de-individualizes their humanity.”

It is a common mistake to group those with developmental disabilities together as a whole, to forget that they are individuals with their own preferences, idiosyncrasies, and habits just like everyone else.

Throughout the film, Charlie is characterized by the outside world, and even by his own family as a “spastic.” He is visually separated from those who are normal by the monkey hat he always wears.

While it is seemingly just a funny hat that has a usually comedic effect, it comes to symbolize much more as the story goes on.

After his pregnant mother (Toni Collette) is put on bed-rest, Thomas must take on the responsibilities of caring for Charlie; this leads to an arduous exploration of his love and resentment for his brother. He hates that his life can’t be normal, and yet he still does what he must to help Charlie. It is only when Thomas dons his own monkey hat to accompany his brother in his school performance that he fully grasps his brother’s humanity. It helps him truly accept Charlie as a person and not just a freak who needs constant supervision.

Dr. Neuville asserts that, at least partly, Charlie is used as a prop in the film. “This isn’t the person, this is the place we’ve put him; we gave him the monkey hat,” he said.

“It’s hard to express when you stop seeing people with disabilities as a group versus as individuals,” Neuville said. “It wasn’t until I stopped trying to classify [those I knew] with disabilities as a group that I broke through the barrier, so to speak.”

This film does not just try to break a barrier; it tries to destroy typical societal reactions and perceptions of such disorders.

There are moments in this movie that are just painful to watch. In one scene, Charlie throws a tantrum in the grocery store when some groceries need to be put back, upon dad (Erik Thomson) not having enough money. As everyone stares in shock, a horrified Thomas looks on as his father wrestles Charlie out of the store. Think the typical kid-having-a-fit-at-the-store moment, only the kid is a strong, able-bodied young adult.

The film hits a peak of emotional brutality in the birthday party scene. Thomas, finally turning sixteen, has a birthday party with his family and new girlfriend Jackie (Ward). Things go well, but escalate when a furious Thomas smashes his brother’s video game system in retaliation for Charlie’s bad behavior. This causes Charlie to throw a violent tantrum, which leads to an all-out brawl in which Charlie bites Thomas and Thomas punches Charlie repeatedly in the face; it is a garishly memorable scene.

The more horrific aspects of the film are made bearable by the sweet and funny scenes Thomas has with his brother. As his mother gives Charlie a bath, Thomas looks in and smiles. As they sit together on a bunk bed, Thomas teaches his brother to say “monkey,” carefully mouthing the word so Charlie might grasp it. They are small but powerful moments.

Ultimately, “The Black Balloon” is about the difficulties of growing up with a sibling who has a disability. While Thomas struggles with his feelings toward his brother, there is an underlying message of love and strength, of supporting one another no matter how hard it may be.

As Thomas’ father aptly states, “All I know is [Charlie's] my own; you’re weak as piss if you don’t look after your own.”

Related posts:

1. Black Maria Film Festival Encourages Creativity and Imagination The 29th Black Maria Film Festival was held at Millersville...
2. Voice of the Students on Black History Month Black History Month is celebrated annually each February as...
3. Wrestling continues to struggle in competition Even after winning their seventh straight match against city rival...

It is, however, a rare thing to come out of a performance feeling emotionally touched, mentally stirred, provoked, humored, sympathetic, and, let’s face it, angry; but that’s precisely what “All Our Young Black Men Are Dying and No One Seems to Care” sets out to do.

“All Our Young Black Men Are Dying,” penned by James H. Chapman in 1989 and performed on Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Student Memorial Center, reflects on many troubling issues within both the black community and society in general. The play, called a choreopoem–a semi-transformative vein of theater wherein the actor forms an organic, almost physical relationship with the words and images of the narratives, was not created intentionally, at least not at first. Strangely enough, the work began as a suicide note Chapman wrote to his mother. When he decided against ending his own life, he made his near tragedy into a work of art to be shouted, not spoken, to the masses.

This play rages, and it rants. It damn near foams at the mouth with indignation, but it knows it; it’s supposed to. The outrage expressed by the actors and verbally injected into the audience is palpable throughout the performance, and sends a powerful message: The need for change and the desperate call for understanding.

This unabashed attitude was precisely what drew Deborah Chapman, one of three actors in the show, to participate.

“The play James Chapman has written down deals with social issues; it’s life-changing,” said Chapman, an active member of the acting community for over 15 years. “It’s real, it doesn’t gloss over things. It’s apologetically in your face and thought provoking.”

While the masculine aspects of the performance do have their gentler moments, it is the feminine element that is most soothing. As a man yells, a woman sings deeply from the heart, exhibiting comfort and love in the face of antagonism. At one point, a short blues song, likened to the resonating sorrow of the blues greats of the early twentieth century, cut into the heart of the room and affected all who listened. Where the man teems with moral outrage, the woman counters with softness and warmth.

That would be where the hope comes in.

“Even though the pieces speak to the theme, they give you hope,” Chapman said. “They cause you to think.”

This is not just a play for the African-American community; this is a play for and about society. It is expression as a weapon of change.

Rian Reed, 10-year member, 2008-2010 state president, and current president of the Millersville chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) sees the organization as a way to educate people about African-American culture and teach others to be advocates for themselves. She and the other members chose this particular play for its powerful message.

“The committee decided there are some issues in the African-American community that need to be shared with others,” Reed said, “With that concern, we decided to bring the play to teach others about the matter in a non-lecture atmosphere; we wanted to present it in a more relatable medium.”

The club wanted to communicate issues that, despite their obvious presence in reality, are not always immediately addressed.

“A lot of African-Americans and those who care about that community feel that issues dealing with the African-American male are not always taken into consideration,” Reed said.

Related posts:

1. Voice of the Students on Black History Month Black History Month is celebrated annually each February as...
2. The Story Behind Black History Month Some may argue a whole month devoted to celebrating and...
3. Black Maria Film Festival Encourages Creativity and Imagination The 29th Black Maria Film Festival was held at Millersville...

While there is nothing necessarily surprising on Lady Antebellum’s new album “Need You Now,” released on Jan. 26, the group undoubtedly met fan expectations and did a solid job of creating a cohesive album worthy of their reputation.

The trio, composed of Charles Kelley (lead/back vocals), Hillary Scott (lead/back vocals), daughter of country artist Linda Davis, and Dave Haywood (guitar, piano, mandolin, back vocals), formed in 2006 when Scott met Kelley in a downtown Nashville bar. The two got to talking, and decided to start writing songs together at Kelley’s apartment, where he lived with Haywood, Kelley later admitted that he was, at first, just trying to get a date out of the singer.

Fortunately, the two found they actually collaborated well together lyrically, while Haywood, the real glue behind the band, skillfully blended the vocals with his numerous instrumental talents.

The formula worked well, in July 2007, after months of performing at local venues in the Nashville area, the band was signed with recording company Capitol Nashville. Their first single, “Love Don’t Live Here,” reached number three on country charts; their self-titled debut album, released in April 2008, was the first by a new group to appear at number one on the Billboard Country Album charts, and went platinum (sold 1M plus copies) by October 2009.

Their sophomore album looks to be no less promising. The single “Need You Now,” used as the opening track, spent five weeks at number one on country charts. The song captures a sense of longing, blending a heartfelt feel with more down-home realities, “I’m a little drunk and I need you now” The following “Our Kind of Love” effectively hooks the listener with catchy piano playing, but falls short of doing anything impressive by sticking to corny lyrics like “what we got is just like driving on an open highway” and unremarkable harmonies.

The vocals are strong, to be sure, but the songs are missing the spark that makes some music truly great.

Tracks like “American Honey,” the other single on the album, which features notable playing in the intro and imparts a worn-out yet relatable sentiment of returning to better days, and “When You Got a Good Thing” come off as sweetly sappy. More upbeat songs like “Stars Tonight,” a crowd pleaser that, despite having a heavier sound than most of the tracks, blands itself out by using stale lyrics like “Girls in their heels and skinny pair of blue jeans” and a few too many “yeah, yeah, yeah’s, and “Something ‘Bout Women” are suitable to their fan base, sure, but also inspire the question, “What else is new?”

Sticking to tried and true yet somewhat tired country/pop compositional formulas happens frequently in this album, though that’s not to say it does not have its moments.

In “Hello World,” a song about finding wonder in the world despite sometimes feeling alone and damaged, provides a soft break in the album. Near the end of the track, an atmospheric crescendo (Arcade Fire, anyone?) works well to bring out the feeling behind the song, it seems to have a little more soul than the rest.

“Perfect Day” utilizes an appealingly more gritty guitar sound than in the rest of the album, though it gets just a little too peppy for comfort once the “na na na”s take over, while, happily, “Love This Pain” and “Ready to Love Again,” the final track, manage to be relevant and capture emotion without falling into the trap of lyrical cliché.

Once the album begins, the tracks have a tendency to run together sound-wise, but overall are still well paced and, at times, diverse, long standing fans will not be disappointed with the effort. The sound is classically country pop, complete with the ever-present pedal steel guitar, but that’s not so much of a bad thing, if that’s your thing.

Lady A. (as they’re known by fans) has been recognized as the best new group of 2008 by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association and the Vocal Group of the year of 2009 (also by the Country Music Association). Judging by their current work, it looks like their success will continue.

Related posts:

1. New singer raises bar for country music The Country Music Industry has been through rapid changes in...
2. Native Maze holds jam session at Club De ‘Ville A Local band played for their third time together at...
3. Women’s basketball continues stellar season, PSAC division leaders: Lady Marauders battle to become ranked 24 nationally in Division II This season, the Millersville women’s basketball team has been on...